


A New Kind of Pride

by AvatarAbby



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, Personal Growth, Spirit Water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24490762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvatarAbby/pseuds/AvatarAbby
Summary: Katara asks Zuko if he wants her to heal his scar.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 66





	A New Kind of Pride

Zuko was beginning to fall into the rhythm of being Fire Lord. He would get up, get ready, go to endless amounts of meetings that usually lasted until dinner, maybe get to spend some time with Mai, then go to sleep, only to start the process all over again the next day.  
It was always a nice break to have one or more of his friends visit him.  
He just wasn’t expecting Katara.  
“I know that you’re busy,” the waterbender said as approached her friend in the garden, where the guards said he would be after she was finally allowed in.  
“It’s fine. Uncle keeps reminding me that I need to take time to relax. You showing up is just an excuse to do it. How’s Aang?”  
Katara blushed. “He’s good. He was planning on coming, but he had to stay behind at the North Pole for some Avatar-related business. He says hello.”  
“You guys were at the North Pole?”  
“Yeah. That’s actually kind of why I’m here.” The woman pulled up a vial, identical to the one she showed him at Ba Sing Se.  
“Is that-?”  
“Water from the Spirit Oasis. I still don’t know if it would work, even the waterbenders up there don’t know all the healing properties it has. But if you want me to try it on your scar, I’d be willing.”  
Zuko instinctively touched the mark, uncertain with what he should choose. For a long time, every time he thought of it, all it did was remind him of how much he was a failure, a traitor prince who let his nation down and would continue to do so until he returned with the Avatar in chains. For so long, he wanted nothing else more than to be free of it.  
But a lot had changed since those days. He realized that he made his own destiny, and the scar could mean whatever he wanted it to mean.  
“Thank you, Katara,” he said, “but I’m going to have to say no. For me, and for my nation, this scar represents that you can turn your life around. This mark reminds me of how far I’ve come.”  
The Water Tribe girl placed the object back on her neck and smiled. “I’m so proud of you, we all are.”  
The Fire Lord new that. And, for the first time in maybe his whole life, he felt proud of himself too.

**Author's Note:**

> In the first season, we see Zuko very prideful in who he is as the prince of Then Fire Nation. Now, I think he deserves to be proud of how far he’s come and who he is now as a person. What a glow up. Thanks for reading!


End file.
